HALIFAX -- The Nova Scotia government says it has taken another step toward cleaning up an environmental mess in Pictou County.
Internal Services Minister Labi Kousoulis issued a statement Thursday saying the government has issued requests for proposals for two key assessments of the Boat Harbour effluent treatment facility.
Kousoulis says a hydrogeological study and a geotechnical assessment will give the province a better understanding of the contaminants at the site.
Andrea Paul, chief of the Pictou Landing First Nation, says she's pleased with the progress.
The First Nation has long alleged that effluent from the nearby pulp mill has been polluting the harbour.
In April, the province's Liberal government tabled legislation to close the facility by January 2020, and it has committed $52.3 million for the project.
